Hull City manager Shota Arveladze claimed Bristol City made his team “look like kids” in their 5-0 demolition at Ashton Gate, as the Georgian was forced to apologise to Tigers supporters for the performance.
Hull delivered their consensus worst performance of the season as they were carved open at will by the Robins front three of Andi Weimann, Antoine Semenyo and Chris Martin, with City leading 3-0 at half-time before adding two more after the break.
In the build-up to the game Arveladze had branded City a “direct team” and compared their approach to Luton Town and Millwall, it was a characterisation that drew a wry smile from Nigel Pearson in his post-match press conference.
The City boss quipped that Hull “didn’t quite understand what we were”, and that certainly bore out on the field as Hull’s high defensive line played into the hands of City, with Semenyo, Weimann and Martin’s high pressing and quick reactions leaving them instantly exposed to the Robins well-honed counter-attacking approach.
"I would not say that I feel well, of course. I feel bad, I feel terrible after having such a bad game," Arveladze told Hull Live. "The softness of the way we played, the way we gave them so much space and gave them everything they needed to exploit us.
"They're good at what they do, they're good at playing deep balls. Weimann is good at connecting play, if you look at what we analysed before the game, we gave them exactly what they wanted.
"We've been very, very slow and soft and that's cost us a terrible day, a terrible result and a terrible performance. It's maybe a little bit my fault, giving them the impression that it was perhaps not like previous games. Maybe my body language was easier than they're used to, maybe more relaxed.
"I could be wrong, I'm searching for a reason for this performance. If you're looking for somebody to blame, it always starts with me. When nothing works, it looks like it did and they play around us and make us look like kids.
"An apology for them is not enough, I don't have the words. Sometimes you just have to put your head down and disappear, and we have to react."
Speaking after the game, Hull defender Lewie Coyle insists that Hull weren't taken by surprise in how City played, the host's execution was just so ruthless that the Tigers were made to pay for their mistakes.
Certainly there were unforced errors in the goals as goalkeeper Nathan Baxter made a questionable decision to leave his line when Weimann was put through for the opener; Sean McLoughlin was bullied off the ball by Semenyo to set up Martin for the third; then Martin robbed McLoughlin on halfway before accelerating clear to claim the fourth.
The victory means City are secured in 17th place on 55 points ahead of Saturday's trip to Huddersfield Town to close out the 2021/22 campaign. The Robins 62 goals - 42 scored by Weimann, Semenyo or Martin - is also their best goalscoring season since 2017/18.
SIGN UP: For our daily Robins newsletter, bringing you the latest from Ashton Gate
